Apparatus for mixing, grinding, refining, or treating liquid material, such as liquid chocolate



Jul 29. 1924. 1,503,379

J. C. ROBINS APPARATUS FOR MIXING, GRINDING, REFINING. OR TREATING LIQUID MATERIAL,SUCH AS LIQUID CHOCOLATE Filed March 20, 1923 3 Shams-Shoat l Jui 29. 1924.

. ROBINS J. C. APPARATUS FOR MIXING, GRINDING, RE

MATERIAL, SUCH AS LIQU Filed March 20. 1923 we. on TREATING LIQUID cnocourra 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J.-C. ROBINS APPARATUS FOR MIXING, GRINDING, REFINING. OR TREATING LIQUID MATERIAL, SUCH AS LIQUID CHOCOLATE Y Filed March 20. 1923 3 Shootm-Sheet 3 Jabz Patented July 29, 1924.:

JOHN CALDWELL Resins, or nieiiiin'ennilt ENGLAND,

ArPARAfTi'I s "roe MIXING;

Applieationfiled March 20,1923. sriai'n. 626,334

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J HN CALDW L ROBINS, a subject of therKingdom of Great Britain; residing at 379 Stratford Road, Sparkhill, Birminghannin" the county of Warwick; England; have invented a certain new or improved Apparatusfor Mixing; Grinding Refining; or Treating'IJiquid Ma terial; Such Liquid Chocolate; of which the following" is" a specification."

This invention comprises apparatus for mixing, grinding, refining, or treating liquid material; such as' liqu'id chocolate;

Inf the" manufacture of' chocolate, the quality of" the product depends upon the thoroughness with which the cream is infused into'fthe chocolate substance, and also uponj'the 'finenes's to whichthe' ehocolate in gredientis ground.' It is'the object of the present invention rn'o're efiectively'to v admix the ingredient; alsofn'ioreefliectively to grind the chocolate ingredientin the process of admixing; and with this obj ect in view the present invention coinpreliends apparatus 25 for rnixing, grinding, refining or treating liquid"Inaterial,such as liquid chocolate; involving" a" receptacle in "which the liquid chocolate'or other material is contained', and in which a" plurality 7 of oscillatory beating devices capableof' individual movement are locatedside byside and adapted successively to descend upon the contents. In conjunction with the heaters provision" is 'advan ta'geously incor orated togrind the material at the internal surface of the receptacle.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily 'carried'into practice reference" be had toflthe appended "ex plana-tory' two sheets of drawings, upon whibhz-"i I Y Figured is asecti'ona'l elevation'pf an apparatusfaccording tothe present invention FigureQ isa sectional elevationot the ap paratu's' shown inFigure-l; p

Figure 3 is a plan of the apparatus shown in Figi1res 1 an'd2; v I

Figure P illustrates one- 0f the grinding devices. I

7 Figurefe fis another yiewofthe 3 grinding device shown in Figure eanvnme} R'EF IN lfNq, DEER-EATING mm MATEeiAL, soon AS LIQUID CHOCOLATE Figure 6 illustrates amodified grinding device. j p In aconvenientembodiment of the present invention, I provide a receptacle a' composed of or lined with metal; and'adapted' to contain theliq'uidto betreated'." The internal metal surfaoeis'adapted to form a grinding surfacej A suitableout let as is' providedat the botton'ij for the egress of the'treated "ma terial', and the receptacleisfopen at the'top for the egressof the'niaterial to betreated, for which purposethe gear meehai'iisrn' hereinafter described is "mounted upon arched or appropriately shapedtransversesupporting members a 2.

Located within the 'reeeptacle aare two plates 5, Z), 'each'ada pted to rnaintainahofl zonta'l position and'to move vertically in'the receptacle. Forthispurposa'at eaehend of therecept-acle guidesc are provided, and the plates '6' are at their ends furnished with channel-shaped"runners 03 adapted to. niain tainthehorizontal position of the plates 5 during their vertical movement.

Eaclrplate is articulated at al d to rods 6 which'at their upper extremities are articulated to cranlr arms f, f rotated by spur wheels 9, "g meshing with a common driving spu'r' 'wheejl h driven by fast; and loose'belt pulleys ifrornany suitable source of power. The cranks f and connecting rods eare'repeated 'on'the other side ofthegears g, and it as "shown in Figure Qtoprovide for the operation ofboth of the plates Z), the cranks f on'oneside of thegearbe'ing at an angle of 180 to those onthe other side of the gear, so that as one plate 6 descends; the other ascends, and vice versa.

VV'hen', therefore, the machine is in 'operation, the descent ofone plate throws a volume'of the liquid across the receptacle to fill the space underneath the other ascending plate. Meantime, this other ascending plate raises a volume of'the material upon its upper surface, which volume of material fiowsjintheforni of a wave in a reverse direction; onto" the j top" of the descending plate. There is, therefore; an'interrnittent backwardjand' forward flow of thematerial, and by this action a sponge characteristic is imparted to the'material;

If desired, the plates 6, b may be perforated or in the nature of grids or equivalent devices.

Any suitable gear may obviously be provided between the driving mechanism and the provision for oscillating the plates Z), Z).

The provision for oscillating the plates 6, b may obviously be modified considerably.

Around the one side and across the ends of each plate, provision is incorporated which is in rubbing contact with the internal surface of the receptacle for the purpose of grinding the solid constituent of the contents in relation to the internal surface of the receptacle. Between the plates themselves and the sides and ends of the receptacle, a marginal space is left, and a marginal space is also left between the two adjacent sides of the plates. This permits of a flow of the material through these marginal spaces in the action of the machine, and additionally ensures that the material is brought effectually and consistently to the surfaces of the receptacle at which it is subjected to the grinding process.

For effecting the grinding process, I provide a series of grinders of the character shown in Figures 4 and 5. Each of these may comprise a plate j, to the surface of which semi-circular tubular grinding members 70, k are fastened in any appropriate manner. A number of these plates are bolted to a longitudinal bar Z by bolts passing through perforations m. The plate is of a springy character so that the rubbers 7a are pressed against the internal surface of the receptacle under this spring effort, and the said spring effort may be augmented by the utilization of an additional spring n located between the plate 7' and the bar Z.

The grinding members is, is may be solid instead of tubular, and more or less of these grinding members may be provided upon each plate The bar Z is carried by two or any suitable number of supporting rods 0 which are appropriately secured to the plate Z), and adjustment provision is provided in connection with these bars 0 whereby bars Z of rubbers carried thereby may thereby be adjusted in relation to the surface upon which they operate. For this purpose the rods 0 may be screw threaded and fitted with nuts 77 located one on each side of a perforated projection 9 upon the plate through which the rod Z passes, the rod 0 passing also through another perforated projection 51' upon the plate. 7

Grinding devices are also provided at the ends of the plates 7). As shown in Figure 3, two of the devicesshown in Figures 4 and 5 may be provided on each side of the guiding provision. Each pair of elements j may be secured to ,a carrier 8 having a stem passing through a perforated projection 6 upon the plate 6 and secured by adjusting nuts u in a manner permitting of adjustment similar to that described in connection with the rods 0.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified form of grinding device in which the plate o is shaped as shown with two convexities to enable it itself to fulfill the grinding function. The plate '0 which itself is of a springy character may be reinforced by an additional spring plate or plates to.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for mixing, grinding, refining or treating liquid or semiliquid material such as liquid chocolate, comprising a receptacle, a pair of horizontal beater plates located side by side within the receptacle, means for imparting a simultaneous and opposite vertical reciprocating movement to said beater plates, means provided upon said beater plates for grinding the solid ingredient of the material by rubbing contact with the walls of the receptacle, and a series of grinder plates secured along one side and across both ends of each beater plate, each grinder plate being of a flexible character.

2. Apparatus for mixing, grinding, refining or treating liquid or semiliquid ma terial such as liquid chocolate, comprising a receptacle, a pair of horizontal beater plates located side by side within the receptacle, means for imparting a simultaneous and opposite vertical reciprocating movement to said beater plates, means provided upon said beater plates for grinding the solid ingredient of the material by rubbing contact with the walls of the receptacle, and a series of grinder plates secured along one side and across both ends of each beater plate, each grinding plate being of a flexible character, and comprising a plurality of grinding members of semicylindrical tubular form.

3. Apparatus for mixing, grinding, refining or treating liquid or semiliquid material such as liquid chocolate, comprising a receptacle, a pair of horizontal beater plates located side by side within the receptacle, means for imparting a simultaneous and opposite vertical reciprocating movement to said beater plates. means provided upon said beater plates for grinding the solid ingredient of the material by rubbing contact with the walls of the receptacle, and a series of grinder plates secured along one side and across both ends of each beater plate, each grinding plate being of a flexible character, each beater plate having an ad justably mounted carrier, and said grinder plates being arranged on said carrier.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and i wherein each horizontal beater plate is movable on vertical end guides provided Within the Walls of the receptacle.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising a receptacle having a straight Wall, a heater plate arranged for reciprocating motion in said receptacle at right angles to said Wall, means to impart such motion to said beater plate and a grinder plate arranged on one side of the beater plate parallel and coacting With said wall to grind material in said receptacle.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand:

JOHN CALDWELL ROBINS. 

